A migrant worker in the central province of Quảng Ngãi receives free rice from a member of a charity group. Charitable acts are encouraged to help poor and vulnerable people get through the COVID-19 pandemic. VNA/VNS Photo Lê Ngọc Phước

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has asked authorities nationwide to ensure social security for people as the country accelerates its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

That was one of the major points in an official dispatch signed by the PM on Tuesday on tightening COVID-19 prevention and control measures across the country.

Dispatch No 1102 was addressed to secretaries of provinces’ and cities’ Party Committees, chairs of central cities’ and provinces’ People’s Committees, ministers, and leaders of ministerial-level agencies.

It outlined measures to be taken by the authorities and medical personnel in cities and provinces to bring the pandemic under control, with a priority on protecting the people’s lives and health.

In the document, the PM stressed the importance of ensuring supplies of food and essential items for residents in cities and provinces that are under social distancing, especially people on low income, the elderly, women and children, as well as those in the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

“All resources must be mobilised, and charitable acts are encouraged to ensure no one is short on food and clothes,” the dispatch reads.

PM Chính also said "reducing deaths related to COVID-19 is a top priority".

To do this, provinces and cities must prepare accommodation for patients and equip them with oxygen supply, medicines, and medical equipment and personnel, he wrote. Those that have extended social distancing periods must immediately establish mobile health stations to ensure quick treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Medical personnel should be gathered, trained and distributed to localities with high number of new and severe patients. Human resources and equipment at public agencies and private enterprises should be mobilised to facilitate COVID-19 treatment. Patient classification and transfer must be done in a quick and exact manner so they will all be treated, especially severe patients.

Massive, rapid testing is of utmost importance to identify, isolate, classify and treat COVID-19 patients. Social distancing is the deciding factor in limiting the spread of the virus and must be strictly implemented to prevent community infections.

The Government will continue to promote vaccine diplomacy to get more COVID-19 vaccines for the people at the earliest opportunity, and call for more transfer of vaccine production technology so there will be more vaccines made in Việt Nam, the dispatch reads. Enterprises and private organisations are encouraged to import vaccines that are approved for COVID-19 treatment by the Ministry of Health and have clear origins. The health ministry is responsible for licensing the imports, inspecting the vaccines and organising vaccination drives.

The PM also stressed the role of the people’s compliance with prevention measures in eradicating COVID-19.

“Each commune, ward and town is a fortress, each resident is a soldier, they are both the centre of the protection scheme and the ones that carry it out,” he said in the dispatch. “Their compliance with regulations is a deciding factor in the fight against the pandemic, it’s also their responsibility, right and duty to protect their health and that of their families and communities.”

Cities and provinces that are implementing social distancing measures were asked to continue to strictly abide by Directive 16 issued by the PM. For those that are extending their social distancing periods, which are HCM City and the provinces of Bình Dương, Đồng Nai and Long An, the authorities must ensure residents will not go out, “stay where they are”, and make sure there are enough supplies of medical equipment, food and essential items in each commune, ward and town.

Leaders of provinces’ Party Committees must direct and take responsibility for the COVID-19 control work implemented in their provinces, the dispatch reads.

A command centre for COVID-19 prevention and control must be established in every province, ward and commune, headed by the chairs of their People's Committees. It must be on call 24 hours a day (with personnel assigned to be on duty) so the pandemic prevention work is thoroughly updated and announced to everyone involved.

The highest priority must be given to disease prevention and control. However, depending on the situation, authorities should also attend to socio-economic developments and other important works, but they also must be based on a solid COVID-19 prevention foundation. — VNS